John Bannon

The Honourable John Bannon AO
39th Premier of South Australia Elections: 1982, 1985, 1989
In office 10 November 1982 – 4 September 1992
Deputy	John Wright (1982-1985) Donald Hopgood (1985-1992)
Preceded by	David Tonkin
Succeeded by	Lynn Arnold
Leader of the Opposition (SA)
In office 2 October 1979 – 10 November 1982
Preceded by	David Tonkin
Succeeded by	John Olsen
Member for Ross Smith
In office 17 September 1977 – 10 December 1993
Preceded by	John Jennings
Succeeded by	Ralph Clarke
Personal details
Born	John Charles Bannon 7 May 1943 (1943-05-07) Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party

John Charles Bannon AO (born 7 May 1943) is a former Australian politician. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the Labor Party to government at the 1982 election. The Bannon Labor government was re-elected at the 1985 election and the 1989 election. As a result of the State Bank collapse, Bannon resigned as Premier and Labor leader in 1992, and from politics in 1993.

Early life

Bannon was born in Bendigo, Victoria and attended St Peter's College in Adelaide. He completed degrees in Arts and Law at the University of Adelaide. While at university, he was co-editor of the student newspaper On Dit along with Ken Scott and Jacqui Dibden in 1964. In 1968, he was elected president of the Australian Union of Students. Following the completion of his studies, he was an advisor to various governments, including Gough Whitlam's ministry.

Political career

He was elected to Ross Smith in the South Australian House of Assembly at the 1977 election and promoted to cabinet within a year. Following the resignation of Premier Don Dunstan and Labor's loss in the 1979 election, Bannon was elected to the Labor leadership. Despite factional struggles within the party Bannon (aged 39) managed to return Labor to government in the 1982 election with a 5.9 percent two-party swing, stressing the continuation of prudent budgetary measures that had begun under David Tonkin and emphasising the economic development of the state.

Bannon (left) receives cheque from Prime Minister Bob Hawke for bushfire relief

Bannon's consensual approach to government differed markedly from the Dunstan era. While then there had been a stream of social reform, Bannon's priorities were oriented elsewhere. He sold land reserved for freeways under the MATS plan, established the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine, the submarine project, the defence industry, conversion of part of the Adelaide Railway Station into the Adelaide Convention Centre, the Hyatt and Adelaide Casino complex, and the staging of the Formula One Grand Prix. Poker machines (pokies) were introduced in South Australia, a decision later regretted by Bannon. Other measures were introduced such as action to prevent destruction of vegetation and urban renewal programmes to invigorate some of the declining inner suburbs in Adelaide.

The economic situation, moribund in the early 80s, rebounded, and Bannon's government was easily re-elected at the 1985 election, achieving a 2.3 percent two-party swing towards them from the Liberal opposition. However, the economy experienced another downturn in the late 80s/early 90s recession, and Bannon was stung at the 1989 election with only 48.1 percent of the two-party vote, a swing of 5.1 percent. Both major parties won 22 seats each, with Labor able to form minority government with the support of two Labor independents. Shortly thereafter, electoral legislation was passed that attempted to ensure that a party that won 50 percent of the two-party-preferred vote would gain office, through a compulsory strategic redrawing of electoral boundaries before each election, making South Australia the only state to do so.

State Bank and resignation

Bad lending decisions made by the State Bank of South Australia's board and managing director Tim Marcus Clark were exposed. As the bank's owner, the government was the guarantor of $3 billion worth of loans. Bannon remained as Premier during three inquiries, the last two of which cleared him of any deliberate wrongdoing. Bannon stepped down from the offices of Premier and Treasurer and announced that he would not contest his seat of Ross Smith in the coming election. Lynn Arnold replaced Bannon, but at the 1993 election, Labor won only 39 percent of the two-party vote, a swing of 9.1 percent, and were left with only 10 seats in a house of 47.

Post politics

After retiring from politics, the ABC offered a directorial position to Bannon in 1994 which he accepted. With an interest in South Australian history, he researches at Flinders University. He later studied and obtained a PhD in Australian political history at Flinders University where he now works as an Adjutant Professor. He was Master of St Mark's College from 2000 to 2007. On Australia Day 2007, he was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Bannon has authored one book, Supreme Federalist: The political life of Sir John Downer, which was released in 2009.

Personal life

Bannon's family suffered tragedy in 1959 when his brother was lost bushwalking in Wilpena Pound. Bannon's first wife was Supreme Court Justice Robyn Layton, with whom he had a daughter, Victoria. His second wife Angela is the mother of musician and television personality Dylan Lewis.

Bannon has been a fitness enthusiast and regular marathon runner throughout his life, but was diagnosed with cancer in 2007, for which he has undergone surgery and chemotherapy.

External references

• Jaensch, Dean (1986). The Flinders History of South Australia: Political History. Wakefield Press. ISBN 0-9492-6852-5. 
• Parkin, Andrew and Patience, Allan (1992). The Bannon Decade: The Politics of Restraint in South Australia. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-366-3.
• When the state's assets fell into a black hole. The Advertiser (Adelaide). 11-04-2006
• Past Elections, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Accessed 17 January 2007
• Past Premier: John Bannon. SA Parliament. Accessed 17 January 2007

Political offices
Preceded by David Tonkin	Premier of South Australia 1982 – 1992	Succeeded by Lynn Arnold
Preceded by David Tonkin	Leader of the Opposition in South Australia 1979 – 1982	Succeeded by John Olsen
Parliament of South Australia
Preceded by John Jennings	Member for Ross Smith 1977 – 1993	Succeeded by Ralph Clarke
Party political offices
Preceded by Des Corcoran	Leader of the Australian Labor Party (SA division) 1979 – 1992	Succeeded by Lynn Arnold